F430

Make
Ferrari
Segment
Coupe

A few years ago, American investor and car collector James Glickenhaus commissioned Andrea Pininfarina to design and build a modern prototype racing car inspired by the Ferrari P-cars of the '60s. Pininfarina executed the wish in full and returned to Glickenhaus a car called the P4/5. It was built on a Ferrari Enzo and crafted into a glorious work of art. A great future lay ahead of it as a museum exhibit and at various Concurs d'Elegance competitions, however it wasn't fit for the motorsport arena.

Glickenhaus didn't give up on the sporting field and commissioned another car - this time for racing purposes. Based on the Ferrari F430 and built in Milan, the car was christened the P4/5 Competizione. The racer was equipped with a V8 engine that allowed it to compete in last year's edition of the famed 24 Hours of Nurburgring. The P4/5 Competizione finished in 39th place. This year Glickenhus is planning on making a comeback to the race with the same car but with a different driving force, complete with a hybrid system. An 80-hp electric motor made by Magnet Marelli will supplement the V8 engine.

The motor acts just like those in Formula 1 cars which have an electric motor that can be active for 6 seconds per lap. The big difference is that in F1, each lap takes no more than 1 minute 30 seconds on average to complete. A lap around the Nordschleife, however, lasts around 8 minutes. In any case, it's a nice try and a great looking car.